It will be a dream come true for Savannah and I can’t wait to celebrate it.
So says Amanda Coulson, who hopes to sneak out of her 40th birthday party to watch Hartlepool neighbour, friend and former Great Britain team-mate Savannah Marshall become the undisputed world middleweight champion.
Marshall will face arch-rival Claressa Shields for the IBF, WBA, WBC, and WBO titles in London tonight, when the prestigious Ring magazine belt and the WBC Elizabethan crown will also be on the table at the 02.
Amanda is the first lady of Hartlepool boxing with a successful career at domestic level with the Catholic Club and at international level too, representing her country at two world championships.
“We can’t get it on the screen at the party, but another room in the place will have it on so I think a lot of us will be moving in there for the fight,” said the England boxing coach, pictured above with Savannah back in 2010 at the English Institute of Sport.
“I’m gutted I can’t be there but as soon as the fight got rearranged for the 15th of October, that was me out.
“Six of my cousins are on their way to London as we speak, but the timing was unfortunate for me.
“But the win is Savannah’s all day long, in my humble opinion.
“Don’t underestimate Claressa, she’s going to turn up with her A-game, but I just don’t think she has the tools to beat Savannah.
“They are both good and do things very differently, but my heart says Savannah for this.
“While Savannah beat her before in the worlds, she’s now a totally different boxer.
“She’s much more rounded, more accomplished, and while she’s hitting very hard, you can see how she takes her time and is highly clinical.
“It’s not going to be easy but I think Savannah is going to be too good for her.”
Coulson says she marvels at the BOXXER event live on Sky Sports which celebrates women’s boxing with an all-female show in London.
“It’s phenomenal,” she said. “All the hype that surrounds this has just made it a massive occasion.
“Well done to BOXXER and Sky Sports for this and, for Hartlepool boxing and Hartlepool as a town to have a local lass on as the headliner is amazing.
“It will be a dream come true for Savannah and I can’t wait to celebrate it.”
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Lawrence Lustig/ BOXXER
